August 2011

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 31, 2011

GREECE VS IRAN

The 8th and 11th chapters of the Book of Daniel are two of the most neglected, yet significant, prophetic passages in the Bible.

Most prophecy teachers will dismiss chapter 8 as "having already been fulfilled" when Alexander conquered the Persian Empire and when, years later, Antiochus Epiphanes set the abomination of desolation in the second temple.

While it's true that this prophecy has had PARTIAL fulfillment, Gabriel UNMISTAKABLY told Daniel that its primary fulfillment would take place at the "time of the end" [Daniel 8:17, 19, 26].

This shouldn't surprise us since God's Word makes it clear that history, hence prophecy, which is history written in advance, REPEATS ITSELF.

Ecclesiastes 1:9 puts it this way:

"The thing that WAS is the thing that SHALL BE; and there is NO NEW THING under the sun".

According to this prophecy which was to remain "sealed" until now, history is about to be repeated:

Tribulation judgments will devastate the major powers including Russia, China, the U.S. and portions of Europe, leaving NUCLEAR, largely intact Iran, as the major power in the world [Revelation chapters 8 and 9].

In the midst of chaos, Iran & Israel will be the only two nations with nuclear power which remain relatively unscathed. They'll be poised for a showdown, when Alexander reappears.

Iran's dreams of world domination and Ahmadinejad's perverse delusion of a world under Persian Islamic rule will come to a screeching halt, when Alexander defeats the Persians (Iran) yet again [Daniel 8:5-7].

According to Daniel 11:40-44 PRIOR TO ALL THIS Egypt and Turkey will resist him in vain: They'll be conquered by the risen Alexander, as will every other nation in the Middle East including Libya and Iraq, with the notable exception of Jordan.

Why Jordan is spared, we're not told. Perhaps they will willingly surrender. Perhaps they'll make some sort of pact in support of the Antichrist. Perhaps it's God's sovereign decree, since it's in southern Jordan where Jews will hide during that time [Isaiah 16:1-4]; or, perhaps a combination of all the above.

Antichrist's final conquest will be Israel (Daniel 12:7).

Then, AND ONLY THEN, will Antichrist's 3½-year reign of terror over the entire world begin.

It will be the abomination of desolation redux when he profanes the third temple, as Antiochus did to the second temple, puts an end to daily sacrifices, and places a statue of himself there [Daniel 8:9-12; 11:31].

Jews will then flee Jerusalem and surroundings, as they did in 165 B.C. when Antiochus carried out a similar desecration [Matthew 24:15-21; Revelation 12:6, 14].

Only their Messiah's Return, 42 months later, will deliver them and bring them back into the Promised Land.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011

THE LAST DAY

If you've ever engaged in discussion or debate with post-tribbers, as I have, one of their favorite arguments is that Jesus spoke of resurrecting believers on "the last day".

They quote the Gospel of John, which repeatedly states:

And this is the will of him who sent me: that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day (John 6:39).

For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:40).

"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day"(John 6:44).

"Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:54).

Martha answered, "I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day" (John 11:24).

"There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day" (John 12:48).

This, post-tribbers contend, PROVES that believers remain on earth during the tribulation and that the Rapture takes place AT THE LAST DAY, AFTER the tribulation has ended. Hence, the Rapture CANNOT POSSIBLY BE pre-trib.

Notice what Jesus DIDN'T say: He NEVER SAID "and I will SNATCH believers who are ALIVE to meet me IN THE AIR, on the last day".

In EVERY ONE of the above passages Jesus spoke ONLY of RAISING PEOPLE UP, as in RESURRECTING THEM, or JUDGING them unto CONDEMNATION.

NOT ONCE does He mention CATCHING THEM AWAY to meet Him in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). And I challenge ANY post-tribber TO PRODUCE ONE verse of Scripture that says THE SNATCHING, CATCHING AWAY or Greek "harpazo" (a/k/a The Rapture) takes place on the "last day".

So, even IF (huge "IF") Jesus had meant the LITERAL, last 24-hour day, this couldn't possibly refer to the Rapture of Christians.

The obvious question is "WHAT, then, did Jesus mean when He spoke about "the last day".

Had He meant the last 24-hour day, I have bad, bad news for post-tribbers: The ONLY ONES who get raised on the last 24-hour day according to Revelation 20:14,15 are THE DAMNED, who get tossed into the lake of fire along with Satan.

In Psalm 90:4 Moses tell us that, from God's perspective, "A THOUSAND YEARS in your sight are LIKE A DAY that has just gone by".

And, again, 2 Peter 3:8 states "ONE DAY with the Lord IS AS A THOUSAND YEARS, and a thousand years as one day".

The term "last day" refers to the prophetic "Day of the Lord" or Millennium, which is both, succeeded and preceded by 7-YEAR PERIODS.

The succeeding 7 years are the time for the Great White Throne judgment of unbelievers (Revelation 20:7-15; Ezekiel 39:9).

The preceding 7 years -- which we are in right now -- cover the birthpangs, the Rapture, the tribulation and the Second Coming.

So, when Jesus says "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the LAST DAY" (John 6:44) He meant SOMETIME DURING the prophetic Day of the Lord, which is a period of OVER 1,000 years (approximately 1,014 years) that begins with the birthpangs and ends with the White Throne Judgment when death itself, hell itself, and the unsaved are all cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15), whereupon there's a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).

Indeed, there are SEVERAL RESURRECTIONS during that period, including:

1. The "dead in Christ" at the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

2. The Two Witnesses (Revelation 11:11, 12).

3. The tribulation martyrs (Revelation 20:4).

4. The unsaved dead (Revelation 20:11-15).

It was THIS time span that John referred to again in the Book of Revelation 1:10 when he states he was "in the Spirit ON THE DAY OF THE LORD", whereupon he was shown, "things that are" and "things which shall be" (Revelation 1:19).

Those "things" he was shown, as taking place during the Day of the Lord or "last day", included the Rapture(Revelation 6:12, 7:9), the tribulation (chapters 8-19), the reign of Antichrist (chapters 13-19), the Second Coming or our Lord (chapter 19), all the way til the end of the Millennium, the White Throne Judgment, the new heaven and earth, and the New Jerusalem (chapters 20-22).

Clearly, the Day of the Lord, or "last day", is a LONG period of time which encompasses ALL OF THE ABOVE.

So, the Rapture DOES take place near the START OF the "Day of the Lord" or "Last Day", BEFORE the tribulation judgments are poured out, as UNDISPUTEDLY described in Revelation 7:9 and 8:2.

One of the reasons it's called "the last day" is because, once this period ends, time as we know it, WILL BE NO MORE.

When the Day of the Lord ends, everyone and everything steps into the realm of ETERNITY which, ultimately, is the only REALITY, the ONLY TRUTH, there is.

The concept of the "last day" or Day of the Lord, and that there would be one or more resurrections during that period, was familiar to Jews in Jesus' time, since it's mentioned often in the Old Testament(Isaiah 2:6-22; 11:6-10; 19:16-25; 26:1-21; 58:13; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezekiel chapters 47-48; Haggai 2:23; Amos 5:18; Zephaniah 1:4; 2:2; Zechariah 12:8; 14:7, 20-21).

What they didn't know were the FINER POINTS of that Day, since those are given to us in the New Testament.

MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2011

NEW OWNERSHIP

There's NOTHING more important than being born again.

However, the Church has made the new birth THE END of the Christian experience, instead of THE BEGINNING.

When you're born again, Jesus Himself, thru his Holy Spirit, takes residence in your spirit. He joins Himself to your spirit and creates a new "you".

People think it's still the old "you" living in your body.

The Spirit inside your body is that of Jesus.

When a business is bought, the new owners put up a sign that says "UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT".

The business may LOOK the same from the outside. It may still have the same windows, same layout, same size, the same merchandise. But it's under new administration.

The former occupant is gone. He or she's been evicted.

That's exactly what happened when you were born again.

Your outward appearance didn't change. What changed is the Owner who lives inside.

You're under new management.

If any man [or woman] be in Christ Jesus, [he/she] is a new creation. Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new and are of God (2 Corinthians 5:17).

There's nothing left of the "old you" in there... not even a trace.

IT'S BEEN CIRCUMCISED, CUT OFF AND DISCARDED.

REMOVED AS FAR FROM YOU AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST.

ALL THAT'S IN THERE IS GOD.

THE DEVIL'S BIG LIE IS TO HAVE YOU BELIEVE THAT IT'S STILL THE "OLD YOU" OCCUPYING YOUR BODY.

ACTUALLY, THE "OLD YOU" IS DEAD. IT DIED WITH JESUS ON THE CROSS.

IT'S TIME SOMEONE TOLD YOU THE TRUTH:

ALL THAT'S LEFT OF YOUR "FORMER SELF" IS A MEMORY.

THE "OLD YOU" EXISTS ONLY IN YOUR MIND.

THE "NEW YOU"IS ALL JESUS. YOUR BODY IS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT. UNDER NEW ADMINISTRATION, NEW OWNERSHIP.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 28, 2011

PRE-TRIBULATION RAPTURE

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible teaches the Rapture is pre-trib.

We have several depictions of the Rapture in Genesis.

God didn't send the flood on wicked, rebellious mankind until Noah, his family, and all the animals, were safely INSIDE the ark. When God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, He couldn't destroy the cities until Lot and his family had DEPARTED from them. Likewise, in Exodus, God supernaturally protected the Israelites while He sent plague after plague on Egypt. He didn't exterminate the Egyptian army until AFTER the Israelites had crossed the Red Sea and were SAFELY ON THE OTHER SIDE. Even in the Old Testament, He demonstrated, time after time, His faithfulness toward His Covenant people.

We live under a New Testament, established on better promises, and CONFIRMED not by the blood of bulls and goats, BUT WITH THE BLOOD OF THE PERFECT, HOLY, INCORRUPTIBLE, IMMORTAL, LAMB OF GOD (Galatians 3:17).

Are you seriously going to tell me that God will pour His wrath on HIS OWN CHILDREN, which He bought and paid for with His Blood, just as if they were unsaved, wicked, Christ-rejecting humans? No way, José!

But don't take my word for it, take HIS WORD.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-11 tells Christians that the Day of the Lord [tribulation] will come as a thief for unbelievers, but not for Christians. It says when the world talks about "peace and safety" then sudden destruction comes ON THEM, NOT ON US.

Verse 9 says that God HAS NOT APPOINTED US TO WRATH, but to obtain Salvation thru our Lord Jesus Christ.

In context, that verse could only refer to the wrath that God will pour out on an unbelieving world during the tribulation or "Day of the Lord". There's no other possible meaning.

2 Thessalonians 2:3 clearly states the Day of the Lord [tribulation] CANNOT COME UNTIL THERE'S "THE DEPARTURE" [of Christians] FIRST.

Revelation 7:9-17 shows the Departure from earth of an innumerable multitude of believers who show up in heaven, suddenly, UNDER THE 6TH SEAL, PRIOR to the Tribulation judgments, which begin in chapter 8, verse 1, UNDER THE 7TH SEAL.

They appear in heaven in immortal, invulnerable, GLORIFIED bodies. Their SUDDEN appearance in heaven prompts one of the elders to ask "who are these? Where did THEY come from"? Like, "how come they weren't here a moment ago, and now they all show up, ALL OF A SUDDEN"? Verse 14 clearly states "these are they which CAME OUT of great tribulation". The only way to COME OUT OF the tribulation is to be raptured. As the tribulation begins (sun gets dark, moon turns blood-red, and there's a huge shaking of the atmospheric heavens, the earth and the sea), Christians are translated to heaven.

That verse goes on to say how born-again Christians qualified for the Rapture: they "have washed their robes, and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb". It's so clear, you need lots of theological "help" to MISUNDERSTAND it.

Jesus will rapture His Church "from every nation, and kindred, and people and tongues" BEFORE the tribulation judgments begin, and BEFORE His wrath is poured out.

For a more detailed exposition of this great Truth, please scroll down to Myth #41 on our Home page : www.christconnection.net

It's no wonder the great multitude says, in a loud voice "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the Throne, and to the Lamb".

SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2011

ON YOUR SIDE

Religion's sold us the FALSE idea of an angry God sitting up in a heaven, looking down on us with a giant telescope that magnifies our flaws, just waiting for us to make the slightest mistake, so He can zap us with punishing judgment.

NOTHING could be FURTHER from the Truth.

GOD IS ON YOUR SIDE.

JESUS DID EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO PRESENT YOU BLAMELESS BEFORE A HOLY GOD (Jude 1:24).

He ALREADY paid for ALL your sins.

Since He did, that means YOU DON'T HAVE TO.

It means your sins ARE FORGIVEN.

It's UP TO YOU to receive the forgiveness Jesus FREELY OFFERS... or NOT.

NOT receiving it is the ONLY sin that'll prevent anyone from being saved.

There is NO CONDEMNATION to them who are IN Christ Jesus [Romans 8:1].

Who will dare accuse God's elect? [Romans 8:33]?

God was IN Christ reconciling the world unto Himself, NOT COUNTING MEN'S SINS AGAINST THEM (2 Corinthians 5:21).

That's THE BEST NEWS in the entire world.

If you're a sinner, join the club.

Christians are simply former sinners, who have been DECLARED RIGHTEOUS, not because we live more saintly lives than anyone else, or because we act better than anyone else, but BECAUSE we HAVE RECEIVED JESUS and WHAT JESUS DID FOR US.

We've accepted His FULL payment for our sins.

We've accepted His forgiveness for ALL OF THEM.

If you're a sinner (and who ISN'T?) don't run FROM Jesus: Run TO Jesus.

He loves you, NO MATTER WHAT you've done.

He will receive you, NO MATTER WHAT you've done (John 6:37).

He'll SAVE YOU TO THE MAX, if you let Him.

If He is FOR YOU, WHO can be against you? [Romans 8:31].

Jesus is ON YOUR SIDE.

He's the BEST FRIEND any sinner's GOT.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2011

DIET GURUS

Have you noticed how many "nutrition experts" have invaded the "Christian" airwaves in recent years?

How they hawk their books, tapes, supplements, and "services"?

They've been literally coming out of the woodwork. You turn on a Christian broadcast, that's supposed to be telling people how to get saved, or at the very least, enhance their knowledge of Scripture, and instead come face to face with someone telling you. . . WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T EAT!!!

WHAT KIND OF "MINISTRY" IS THAT? HOW DARE ANYONE REFER TO THAT AS "EVANGELISM"?

Am I anti-nutrition? Of course not.

The Bible does teach our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. Of course we should take proper care of our bodies, feed them properly, get some exercise, avoid harmful stuff like cigarettes, drugs, or excessive amounts of alcohol.

There's nothing wrong with living a healthy lifestyle. But most of this stuff is common sense. How many times do you have to hear the same things?

Jesus commanded his disciples to "go into all the world and PREACH THE GOSPEL". He didn't tell them to go preach nutrition.

Heck, who needs "Christian" TV? I can learn all that from G.N.C.!

To all who support those "ministries": Is that really the best, wisest, most productive and most spiritual way your donation dollars should be spent?

Is THAT what you're asked, over and over, to give "sacrificially" for?

So that the guy [or gal] who hosts the program can get even richer at your expense? So that the nutrition guru can increase his (or her) "SALES", and the televangelist can collect his (or her) "cut"?

How, exactly, do these con artists DIFFER from the moneychangers in Jesus' day, who turned His temple INTO A BUSINESS?

We have all these "nutrition wizards" going around telling people what they shouldn't eat, when the Body of Christ is being fed RELIGIOUS JUNK FOOD, right and left!

Cunning religious cons have found yet another "angle" to get your money, and silly Christians (sorry, I gotta call it as I see it) keep taking the bait, and SWALLOWING IT, (no pun intended) hook, line and sinker.

Regardless of how well we care for these bodies, they will, one day, either dissolve into dust, or be instantly changed into immortal, glorified bodies at the Rapture.

You want my advice? Use your God-given common sense, eat good, nutritious food, get some exercise, indulge once in a while, (it won't kill you to have ice cream or pizza once a week), and PAY MORE ATTENTION TO YOUR SPIRIT THAN YOUR BODY.

Your body is TEMPORARY. Your spirit is ETERNAL.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011

EASTERN GATE

Ezekiel has always been one of my favorite prophets.

He laid it ALL on the line for God, and was obedient even under the most unbearable circumstances.

He was also the recipient of breathtaking visions and revelations recorded in his marvelous Book for all eternity.

One of those revelations is found in chapter 44, verses 1-2:

"Then he brought me back the way of THE GATE of the outward sanctuary (temple) which looks toward THE EAST; and IT WAS SHUT. Then said the LORD to me; THIS GATE SHALL BE SHUT, it shall NOT BE OPENED, and NO MAN SHALL ENTER IN BY IT; because the LORD, the God of Israel, HAS ENTERED IN BY IT, therefore IT SHALL BE SHUT".

It was thru this gate that Jesus entered Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives on Palm Sunday 2,000 years ago (Luke 19:28-45).

While the temple itself was located SOUTH OF this gate and of the so-called "Temple Mount", this gate was THE MAIN ENTRANCE into Jerusalem, as well as unto the temple compound, from the East. It was thru this gate that the Divine Presence (Shekinah) used to appear in the temple (Ezekiel 43:2-4). That's why it's also known as the Golden Gate.

In Jewish tradition this is the gate thru which the Messiah will enter Jerusalem. Ezekiel's prophecy was marvelously fulfilled in 1541 when Sultan Suleiman I a/k/a Suleiman the Magnificent, well aware of the long standing Jewish tradition, ordered the gate sealed, in order to prevent the Messiah's entrance. The Eastern Gate has remained shut ever since, in amazing fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecy. Beware, Satan: God uses even his enemies to accomplish His Purpose.

But the story doesn't end there:

In 1967, Jordan's King Hussein made plans to build a luxury hotel in front of what is commonly known as the Western (Wailing) Wall. The building of this hotel would have necessitated the closing of the Morgrabi Gate.

Hussein, therefore, made plans to OPEN the Eastern Gate.

Had he succeeded, it would have negated Ezekiel's prophecy that once sealed, the gate would REMAIN SHUT and NO MAN WOULD ENTER THRU IT.

Dirt moving equipment, including air hammers and cranes had been positioned inside the gate in preparation for its demolition.

Work was scheduled to begin on June 7, 1967.

It was on that VERY day that biblical Jerusalem was recovered by Jews, during the Six-Day War, after 1,930 years of UNINTERRUPTED Gentile occupation, thus putting an end to Hussein's unbiblical plans.

What's even more ironic is that, foreseeing what was about to happen, Israel had contacted Hussein a few days before the war, asking him not to take part in the Arab coalition against Israel, and guaranteeing that, if Jordan stayed out of the war, Israel would not attack Jordanian forces.

Hussein turned them down.

Had he complied with Israel's request, East Jerusalem would be in Jordanian hands to this day, and the Eastern Gate WOULD HAVE been opened. Is God AWESOME, OR WHAT?

Suleiman was a fool. If a large stone couldn't prevent the Messiah from coming out of the grave, if hell itself, Satan and all his demons, couldn't hold Him and prevent His resurrection, whatever made this clueless heathen think a few puny bricks will prevent Jesus from RE-ENTERING? Someone should have read him Psalm 24:7-10:

"Lift up your heads, O you gates;be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who IS this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.

Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.

Who IS this King of glory? The LORD Almighty- HE IS the King of glory. Selah".

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24, 2011

WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON

Must say, I never thought of Jerry Lee Lewis as a "last days" prophet before.

But there IS A WHOLE LOT of shaking going on.

The end-time scenario that Jesus predicted is unfolding right before our eyes.

While we dislike some of the aspects associated with these events, such as injury or loss of life, destruction of property, and so forth, it's awe inspiring to see THE VERY THINGS FORETOLD 2,000 TO 2,800 YEARS AGO play out like a well orchestrated finale.

With the modern marvels of TV and internet, it's like having front row seats.

WHY so many earthquakes lately? Because it's one of the signs given in Matthew 24:7 that would precede the appearance of Jesus in heaven to rapture His Church.

If THAT, combined with the approaching 10th anniversary of 9/11, doesn't send a "wake up call" to our leaders, and to all of us, I don't know what will.

Nor am I referring only to the tsunamis and tsunami warnings they've spawned.

Nor am I alluding ONLY to recent volcano eruptions, like the one in Iceland which brought air traffic in Europe to a virtual standstill. Or to the two volcanoes which erupted the same day in Guatemala and Peru. Or the one in Chile, which sent a plume of smoke halfway around the world. Or several eruptions in Indonesia, which killed people and interrupted air travel.

EVERYTHING around is us being SHAKEN: the economy, the banking system, the housing market, major corporations, the stock market, the oil industry, nations, governments, politics, the ecology, the world of sports and its superstar icons, the entertainment world, the prophetic world, even the religious and televangelistic world, and it's supposed luminaries, is being shaken.

It seems like everything mankind values and PLACES ITS TRUST ON is being shaken.

IDOLS are being toppled, one after the other.

There's only ONE THING that remains STEADY AND UNSHAKABLE in the midst of all the chaos and uncertainty: THE WORD OF GOD.

Jesus Christ [the Word incarnate] IS THE SAME YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER.

His Word is THE SAME yesterday, today and forever.

I promise you won't open your Bible one day and suddenly discover that it has changed. It's been the same for 2,000 years [New Testament] and 2,400-3,400 years [Old Testament].

The theological term is IMMUTABLE.

Because God's Word is immutable, we can COUNT ON IT being true, and ITS PROPHECIES BEING FULFILLED IN PRECISE DETAIL.

I wish I could tell you the shaking will go away, but it won't.

The shaking will continue and, if anything, intensify.

That is why it's SO IMPORTANT for us to be ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN GOD'S WORD. That's why it's SUPREMELY IMPORTANT to have a PERSONAL, INTIMATE relationship with Jesus Christ.

Because He is the ONLY ONE that IS ROCK-SOLID, that we can always LEAN and RELY ON, regardless of what's going on around us (Matthew 7:24-25).

The things that are being shaken right now are temporary. Hence they will end up being altogether REMOVED... that only those things which CANNOT BE SHAKEN, the ETERNAL THINGS, may remain [Hebrews 12:27].

There's one more thing that's immutable and that's the Kingdom of God INSIDE OF US.

If you have Jesus living in your heart, and have MADE HIM LORD of your life, you have an enduring, imperishable INHERITANCE that NOTHING and NO ONE can take away.

Thank God we have an eternal Kingdom that CANNOT BE MOVED, and that Kingdom is WITHIN US.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 2011

JUDAIZERS

What's a Judaizer? A SUPPOSED believer in Jesus Christ who insists we MUST keep the Old Testament law [torah] in order to have right standing with God.

That's not my definition. It's the Bible's [Galatians 2:14].

Judaizers have been coming out of the woodwork lately at an alarming rate.

This shouldn't surprise us, since Jesus warned that in the last days MANY would come in His Name [pretending to be Christian] and WOULD DECEIVE MANY (Matthew 24:4).

They come to us in sheep's clothing, but inside they're ravenous wolves... or at the very least legalistic zombies.

Judaizers are hell-bent on imposing a legalistic burden on those who've truly been born again, and live in the freedom of the Spirit.

They're the ones who insist we must observe Old Testament dietary laws, the 10 commandments, and "keep the weekly Sabbath". Don't get me wrong, I'm ALL for keeping the Sabbath, not just on Saturday, BUT EVERY SINGLE DAY. Sabbath keeping has ALWAYS BEEN (THEN AND NOW) ABOUT RESTING FROM OUR OWN WORKS, AND TRUSTING GOD'S.

The purpose of the weekly Sabbath was to remind the children of Israel that they were to CEASE FROM THEIR OWN DEAD WORKS AND REST (TRUST in) GOD'S SUPERNATURAL WORK on their behalf.

The weekly Sabbath was NEVER the designated day to assemble. It was THE DAY OF REST (Exodus 20:8-10).

RESTING in Jesus and TRUSTING Jesus, and Jesus ALONE. THAT'S WHAT THE REAL SABBATH IS ABOUT. That's what SALVATION IS ABOUT. Unless you're COMPLETELY trusting Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and ascension, and His Blood, to wash away your sins... and NOTHING ELSE...

You can ATTEND SERVICES ON SATURDAY UNTIL YOUR FACE TURNS BLUE... you're NOT keeping the Sabbath. Fact is, God could care less what day of the week you attend services.

Judaizers can be very persuasive. Their approach, at least ON THE SURFACE, appears to be quite godly. After all, they're quoting the Bible [mostly Old Testament]. Satan, however, also quoted the Old Testament, and there's NOTHING GODLY about him. One guy in particular, who wears some sort of Old Testament costume, is now telling his CUSTOMERS [eh... followers] that, unless they call God by His Hebrew Name "Yahweh", or Yeshua, that they are using His Name in vain, thereby breaking the second commandment.

What absolutely ridiculous, legalistic crap!

According to Genesis 11:14 IT WAS GOD WHO CONFUSED AND DIVIDED THE [one] LANGUAGE INTO [ACCORDING TO Jewish tradition, Talmud] AT LEAST 70 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. So, after God Himself perpetrated this on humanity, God's going to now turn around and BLAME them FOR NOT SPEAKING HEBREW???? Give me a religious break!

So, according to this clown [hey, if you wear a funny-looking costume, what does that make you?] people in France, Spain or Latin America who call on the Name of Jesús are using His Name in vain. Same goes for the the Italians when they call Him Gesù, the Japanese Iesu, etc. Same goes for all English speaking people when we call Him "Jesus". What complete farce!

There's no LESS IMPORTANT issue as far as God is concerned, than calling God by His Hebrew Name, His Latin Name or His English Name. The Church faces far greater challenges than that. God knows every language and communicates in all of them. When He talks to me, do you think He usually speaks Hebrew? How about when He talks to you? No, He has complete mastery of English, I assure you. When you called out to Him, in your time of need, did you have to say "Oh, Yeshua"! in order for Him to answer?

How about when you first invited Him into your heart? Did you call Him Yeshua? No, you said "Jesus" and He came anyway, didn't He? Judaizers can twist and turn their dead religion all they want, BUT THIS IS WHAT IT BOILS DOWN TO: DO YOU TRUST JESUS COMPLETELY?If you do, you need nothing else. He's sufficient.

If you don't, you'll have to "add" and "add" and "add". .. and keep adding because you'll never measure up.

If you don't TRUST JESUS COMPLETELY, YOU'RE NOT SAVED.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, 2011

ALL THE WAY

Jesus is about to arrive. When He does, His Appearance will rapture us, and translate us in an instant, into the Spirit realm.

That realm is as real, no, it's MORE REAL than the physical.

The visible, physical realm is only temporary. The invisible, spirit realm is eternal.

Therefore, EVERYTHING we presently see around us will dissolve. It will be no more.

The physical is about to give way to the eternal.

If we were in the spirit realm we would see each other, touch each other, communicate with each other, just like we do in the earthly realm. Actually, far better.

I'm addressing this message primarily to those who SAY they're Christian, but whose hearts and minds are far from the Lord.

Professing Christians who have a long list of priorities AHEAD OF Jesus.

Who believe with their heads, but have never really given Jesus their hearts.

Who call themselves believers, but have no intimate, personal relationship with the Savior.

Who THINK they're Christian because their ancestors claimed to be.

Or because they DO good deeds, attend Sunday school, BELONG TO A PARTICULAR DENOMINATION, or participated in some religious ritual like first communion, confirmation, even water baptism.

ANY church ritual you participate in, where your heart isn't TOTALLY involved is an EMPTY, MEANINGLESS ritual.

Despite some or all of the above, you have never REALLY GIVEN YOUR HEART TO JESUS.

Matthew 7:22 talks about a bunch of people who will say to Jesus "didn't we DO many wonderful WORKS in your name? And He will answer "I NEVER KNEW YOU".

Do you KNOW Jesus? I don't mean His Name. Do you KNOW HIM as a Person, as your God, your Lord, your spiritual Lover?

If you don't, I urge you to "DO".

The time for tepid Christianity is over.

If you call yourself Christian, then BE ONE: ALL THE TIME, ALL THE WAY.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 2011

BY ONE MAN

"For as by one man's DISOBEDIENCE many were made sinners, so BY THE OBEDIENCE OF ONE (Jesus) shall many be made righteous" (Romans 5:18,19).

What did you DO in order to inherit Adam's sinful nature and his LOST condition?

You did NOTHING:

You didn't WORK for it.

You didn't WAIT for it.

You didn't have to BREAK any law.

You didn't have to BREAK any commandments.

You didn't have to OBSERVE a certain day of the week over another.

You didn't forsake a particular denomination.

You didn't forsake any religious leader.

ALL you had to do in order to inherit Adam's sinful, nature was TO BE BORN.

That's right: your PHYSICAL birth was ALL it took.

Every innocent baby born into this world AUTOMATICALLY INHERITS that sinful nature by virtue of his/her PHYSICAL birth. They INHERIT IT before they even have a chance to DO anything.All of us were PHYSICALLY BORN WITH A SINFUL NATURE.

Likewise, in order to acquire Christ's perfect, righteous Nature, we DO NOTHING:

We DON'T WORK for it.

We DON'T WAIT for it.

We DON'T OBSERVE the law.

We DON'T OBSERVE commandments.

We DON'T OBSERVE a certain day of the week.

We DON'T BELONG to one particular denomination.

We DON'T follow any RELIGIOUS leader.

ALL we need in order to inherit Jesus' SINLESS Nature is TO BE BORN AGAIN. When we're born physically, we automatically inherit Adam's fallen nature.

When we're born SPIRITUALLY, from above, by opening our hearts to Jesus and receiving Him as Lord and God, we automatically inherit Jesus' SINLESS, PERFECT, HOLY Nature.

Physical birth gave us a sinful nature, naturally.

Spiritual birth gave us a righteous nature, SUPERNATURALLY.

It's AUTOMATIC: no law keeping required, no 10 commandment keeping, no Sabbath keeping, ALL THAT IS REQUIRED is a NEW SPIRITUAL BIRTH.

Jesus' OWN Righteousness, His Divine Love Nature, is THE BIRTHRIGHT of ALL who are born from above, from the spirit realm, by the Spirit of God. Take that legalists, put it in your ugly, deadly, religious pipe and SMOKE IT.

That's why John 3:3-5 tell us we MUST be born again.

Except we are, we CANNOT ENTER or even SEE the Kingdom of Love (God).

In 1 Corinthians 15:47-49 Paul assures us that:

"The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, WE SHALL ALSO BEAR THE IMAGE OF THE HEAVENLY". Invite Jesus TO ENTER your heart, and Salvation and Righteousness are yours...AUTOMATICALLY.

THURSDAY AUGUST 18, 2011

YOUR TRUE NATURE

Most believers in Christ are confused. They suffer identity crisis. They don't know WHO THEY REALLY ARE.

Religion has clouded their thinking and spiritual discernment to the point that it's hard, often impossible, to tell the difference between those who've been born from above, and those who are lost.

So, who are we, really?Are we what we SEEM to be? Are you that selfish ingrate you seem to be? ...Or that stiff, grumpy religionist? Am I the irreverent loudmouth I often appear to be?

Are we, as religion has told us ad nauseam, no-good, evil sinners? NO.

That's what we USED TO BE BEFORE we came to Christ.

Once Jesus penetrates our innermost being, our nature CHANGES, FOREVER. Once His Holy Spirit comes to live in the inner sanctum of our hearts, we are no longer sinners but SAINTS, called and set apart unto Jesus. Once Love Himself is reconnected with our hearts, and imparts His own Nature to us, THAT'S who we really are:

MANIFESTATIONS OF DIVINE LOVE.

Oh, I know we often don't ACT like it.

We may not LOOK like it.

We may not TALK like it.

We may not THINK like it.

We may not BELIEVE it's true but, according to God's Word, IT IS!!! Love is God's Nature. Love is God's Righteousness.

Truth is we have no righteousness OF OUR OWN. NONE!

The ONLY righteousness that exists in the entire universe is God's.

Unless He imparts His OWN Righteousness, His own Divine Nature to us, WE WILL NEVER BE righteous NO MATTER HOW HARD WE TRY TO "ACT" like it.

...And no matter how hard organized, MAN INVENTED religion tries to get us to ACT like it. ONLY the Divine Nature makes us righteous.

The Divine Nature is Divine Love.

And those who have received God/Jesus (Love) into their hearts are now MANIFESTATIONS OF HIS LOVE.

Divine Love IS our TRUE NATURE.

That's A FACT.

We can believe it and START MANIFESTING Him (Divine Love), and allowing God/Jesus/Divine Love to manifest through us.

Or we can reject it, KEEP LIVING A LIE, be in constant fear, constant torment, constant INSECURITY, and live like paupers, when all the while we're children of the King of Kings, the King of Love.

Let's kick religion in the teeth and SHOW THIS LOST WORLD WHO WE REALLY ARE.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2011

WALKING IN LOVE

Enoch walked with God, and he was NOT, for God TOOK HIM (Genesis 5:24).

One of the infinite number of things I love about God's Holy Spirit is HOW SUCCINCT AND DIRECT He is. He doesn't mince words. Praise His Name!

That's the reason that, when we study the Scriptures, we should pay attention NOT ONLY TO WHAT GOD SAYS, but what He DOESN'T say.

I remember wracking my brains many years ago trying to figure out WHAT, in heaven's name, got Enoch raptured. What on earth did he DO? I also remember being utterly frustrated that God wouldn't tell us WHAT he did.

The reason God didn't tell us is because Enoch DID NOTHING. Repeat: Enoch DID NOTHING.

It wasn't his actions, or lack thereof, that got him raptured.

What got him raptured is WHOM HE WALKED WITH.

Allow me to paraphrase: "Enoch walked with Love and He was not for LOVE took him". Enoch, thru the Spirit, somehow got the revelation of the Love of God. That Love is God's very Nature (1 John 4:16).

Enoch EXPERIENCED Him who is Love, He experienced Divine Love, and once he did, he WOULDN'T LET GO (Song of Solomon 3:4).

Enoch wasn't perfect. Enoch wasn't sinless.

Enoch WALKED WITH Divine Love until Divine Love transferred him into the realm of immortality, the realm of eternity the realm of God/Love (Hebrews 11:5).

Jesus came into this world in human form to MANIFEST God's Nature, God's Divine Love for His Creation (John 3:16).

He was/is SO IN LOVE with us that "for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross" (Hebrews 12:2).

Glory to Him for all the eternities.

You have Jesus' VERY OWN Nature, Jesus' PERFECT Love inside your born again heart (Romans 5:5; 2 Peter 1:4).

However, in 1 John 4:18 John tells us HOW to know if we're walking in PERFECT, Divine love:

Casts out fear

Casts out torment.

Trusts God, regardless of what goes on around us in the natural.

If there's any trace of fear, any trace of torment, or any doubt, WE'RE NOT WALKING IN PERFECT LOVE.

Walking in/with Divine Love begins with A CONSCIOUS CHOICE.

CHOOSE to give Divine Love FIRST PLACE in your heart and life, and God (Love) will take it from there.

He'll do the rest.

Don't try to manifest His Love on your own, and please DON'T TRY TO FAKE IT. There's NOTHING more hypocritical and artificial, and no bigger turn-off, than SIMULATED "Christian" love.

Love is what got Enoch raptured. Divine Love is what'll get you and me raptured. What do you say, Church?

Jesus won't take unto HimSelf a distant, lukewarm, indifferent Bride, but one who is IN LOVE with Him.

He won't be unequally yoked to a LOVELESS Bride.

He IS Love. He won't rapture a Church who is ANYTHING LESS.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2011

THE PIT IS OPEN

In Revelation 9:1, 2 we find the following narrative:

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven to the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke"...

Chances are you've never heard or read a message about opening the pit, but you're going to read it here.

Once the tribulation judgments are underway, the bottomless pit will be opened.

The opening of hell is a very important event, because of what takes place ONCE IT'S OPENED:

"And there came out of the smoke locusts on the earth: and to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; BUT ONLY THOSE MEN WHICH DON'T HAVE THE SEAL OF GOD on their foreheads (namely, the 144,000, Revelation 7:3, 4). And to them it was given that THEY SHOULD NOT KILL THEM, BUT THAT THEY SHOULD BE TORMENTED FIVE MONTHS:

And their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he strikes a man. And in those days SHALL MEN SEEK DEATH, and shall not find it; and SHALL DESIRE TO DIE, and death shall flee from them" (Revelation 9:3-6).

Yes, this is REALLY going to happen.

Hell is located in the center of the earth. The opening of hell will result in a huge amount of smoke (and probably ash) being released, clearly showing it's like a pressure cooker down there.

It'll be as though the mother of all volcanoes erupted, to the point that the smoke will block sunlight and contaminate the air.

I hope many hyper-environmentalists, who need to receive Jesus, are reading this. Take note, Al Gore.

Those still living on earth will breathe, literally, AIR FROM HELL, which will clog and sear their lungs.

This will be followed by the emergence of millions of demons, who sting like scorpions, and are permitted to sting everyone, repeatedly, except the 144,000 sealed Israelites.

Verses 7-11 of this chapter give us a detailed description of the demons, but forget for a moment what they LOOK like.

They will be allowed to sting and torment unsaved mankind for 5 months. The pain will be so excruciating that men will WANT TO die, but won't, no matter WHAT they do.

Suicide will be impossible.

But the story doesn't end there. Sometime thereafter, after the 6th trumpet is blown and ONE THIRD of mankind (close to TWO BILLION people) die, the Antichrist will STEP OUT OF THAT OPEN PIT, OUT OF HELL ITSELF, RESURRECTED FROM THE DEAD (Revelation 11:7; 13:1;17:8).

He will reintroduce himself as "defender of mankind" (that's what the name Alexander means), who's come to "defend" them against a just God, and His just judgments.

The chaotic, devastated, agonizing, desperate, UNBELIEVING world will be all too eager to receive him.

The pit remains open for the rest of the tribulation.

At the end thereof, when Jesus returns, Satan himself will be unceremoniously TOSSED INTO HELL, and the PIT WILL once again BE CLOSED (Revelation 20:1-3).

Satan will be SHUT in hell for 1,000 years known as the Millennium.

When the 1,000 years end the pit will be reopened and Satan allowed to come out for A LITTLE WHILE.

Shortly thereafter, all the dead who've gone to hell will be resurrected and judged.

Finally, the pit (hell) itself will be tossed into the lake of fire for eternity, along with Satan, whereupon there will be a NEW heaven and a NEW earth (Revelation 20:7-15; 21:1).

And there you have it: the destiny of hell.

Hell will be opened, hell will be closed, then hell will be NO MORE.

MONDAY, AUGUST 15, 2011

ELENIN

All right: Just yesterday (Sunday) we received 24 emails (yes, we COUNTED THEM) on this stupid hoax.

That's NOT COUNTING the many we've received and answered in previous days and weeks.

Not to mention, I addressed this myth just 33 days ago (July 12, 2011), and it seems to have gone in one ear and out the other.

So, all you prophecy expert wannabes PAY ATTENTION, cause I'm NOT answering any more emails on this topic. I've better things to do with my time, especially on a Sunday.

This is a classic example of how quickly UNSCRIPTURAL GARBAGE about SUPPOSED "Bible prophecy" spreads through the internet.

How can something BE "Bible prophecy" when it's NOT EVEN FOUND IN the Bible???

Hello??????? There's NOTHING in the Bible about A COMET -- whether it's called Elenin, Nibiru, Planet X or anything else -- causing the Rapture or the tribulation: NOTHING.

There's NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE WHATSOEVER that the passing of this comet will cause any great catastrophe.

Unless, of course, you consider the dubious "experts" on YouTube with their Mickey Mouse theories "scientific evidence".

According to REAL scientists at NASA this is just a passing comet which will pass RELATIVELY NEAR the earth, and should be a rather inconsequential event.

But, let's be generous. Let's give these fools the benefit of the doubt (not that there's ANY doubt).

Let's assume that we had SOLID, CONCLUSIVE SCIENTIFIC PROOF that the recent quakes in Chile or Japan, were directly connected to this comet.

SO WHAT?

HAS THIS COMET'S ALIGNMENT (with whatever) caused the sun to turn black and the moon blood-red? Has it caused a large meteor shower? Has it caused the sky to roll up like a scroll?

Has it caused a massive rearrangement of geography and topography as Revelation 6:12-16 describe? Has it caused Jesus to appear in the clouds?

That's WHAT, according to the Bible, WILL HAPPEN just prior to the Rapture.

But couldn't this be some sort of "heavenly sign" since it's passing close to the earth during the Feast of Tabernacles (October 16, 2011)?

Hey, there's also going to be A FULL MOON during Tabernacles, could THAT be "a sign"?

The sun will presumably come up each morning during Tabernacles, is that "a sign"? Give me a break! These are ALL NATURAL EVENTS.

God DOESN'T NEED the "help" of ANY NATURAL EVENT to cause the SUPERNATURAL signs described in the Book of Joel, the synoptic Gospels, and the Book of Revelation.

Jesus ALREADY TOLD US what "heavenly signs" will happen as the tribulation starts: the sun turns black, the moon blood-red, a huge meteor shower, the sky rolls unto itself like a scroll, huge quake of land and atmosphere, resulting in new geography and topography.

That's A LOT of specific detail. Sorry. I don't see A COMET on the list.

These are ALL SUPERNATURAL signs.

But isn't this the fulfillment of Revelation 12:1-4 which speaks of a "woman in heaven" clothed in the sun, etc.?

Isn't this what will happen in the sign of Virgo as this comet passes by?

NO.

I have posted the picture below which ALLEGEDLY shows Virgo as the "woman" in Revelation 12.

This picture shows the location of the sun and moon, as this comet passes by.

Any OBJECTIVE viewer will have to agree that the sun being on the woman's LEFT SHOULDER, hardly qualifies as her "being clothed" with the sun.

By the way, the Greek text uses the word peribeblēmenē, which means to have the sun WRAPPED AROUND HER.

That's NOT what we see in that planetary projection.

Likewise, the moon being KNEE HIGH to the woman doesn't even come close to being "under her feet" as Revelation 12:1 requires.

The Greek word there is upokatō meaning "below" or "under" her feet. And, WHERE's the crown of 12 stars that Revelation 12:1 speaks of?

NOWHERE.

WHERE'S the dragon standing right in front of the woman to devour her baby as soon as he's born? (Revelation 12:4).

NOWHERE.

Most importantly, where's THE BABY?

NOWHERE.

The woman isn't even pregnant. She's Virgo THE VIRGIN.

So, all the crap floating around the internet and on YouTube about this event causing the Rapture or triggering the tribulation, or some MAJOR calamity, is just that:

This is A HOAX. It's much ado about NOTHING. Just like Y2k turned out to be a hoax, just like the "North American Union" and the "Amero" turned out to be a hoax (remember them?), just like the UFO over the Temple Mount turned out to be a hoax. Just like a mysterious green figure on video during the Egyptian insurrection dubbed the "4th horseman of Revelation" turned out to be a hoax. Just like the Harold Camping debacle turned out to be a hoax.

You're free to believe whatever you like, but I'm most definitely NOT on board.

And I'm not WASTING another second of my valuable time of this MORONIC piece of crap.

Henceforth ALL communications about this STUPID COMET, WILL BE IGNORED.

Hate to disappoint you, but I get my eschatology FROM GOD'S WORD, not from YouTube.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 14, 2011

WHY YOUNG PEOPLE LEAVE CHURCH

"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and IT FELL NOT: for it was FOUNDED ON THE ROCK (Matthew 7:25).

According to a recent Barna survey, 70% of young adults leave church before age 25.

That means that 7 out of 10 will DROP OUT.

Contrary to what most pastors would say, attending church services is NOT essential to salvation.

You can have STRONG, ACTIVE FAITH in Jesus Christ WITHOUT belonging to, or attending, a particular congregation, and even without attending services AT ALL.

(Save your emails, please: There ISN'T ONE verse from Genesis to Revelation that says attending a building, or attending a religious service, is required. Hebrews 10:25 is NOT talking about congregating physically, and I can prove it).

What no survey accurately portrays is the number of young people who altogether FORSAKE their FAITH or whose faith gets smothered by the world's onslaught.

The highest percentage of our readership is in the coveted 18-45 age bracket.

I can tell you from interacting with young or relatively young adults that many struggle with their faith when they reach late teens or young adulthood.

26% of survey participants found church members judgmental or hypocritical

20% felt disconnected from people in church.

But their main problem is they find church IRRELEVANT.

Religious services DO NOT meet their needs.

They DO NOT SATISFY them spiritually or intellectually.

They DO NOT provide the firm, ROCK SOLID foundation that's required to STAND for one's beliefs.

That's where the REAL problem lies.

The Church has been woefully inadequate in preparing its youth for the challenges they face as young adults.

The latter are either attending college, or contemplating attending. They're also entering the work force and making friends OUTSIDE OF the church environment.

This is also the time when young people's character is defined.

You can rest assured that their FAITH WILL BE TESTED sooner rather than later.

Christian Bible colleges and seminaries do A LOUSY JOB of preparing pastors and ministers to address such challenges OR PROVIDE CLEAR, CONCRETE ANSWERS.

And the lame, ineffective, watered down "teaching" they get in Sunday school DOES NOT BEGIN TO PREPARE THEM to face or answer those challenges.

So, when John S. Christian meets Jim J. Worldly who engages him on the existence of God, on evolution vs. creation, or who Jesus really was/is, or did Jesus even exist, or the fact there are many religions that offer some supposed "path" to the Divine, so who's to say that the Christian faith is the ONLY Truth, or that Jesus is THE ONLY Salvation... and he's not equipped to FACE, let alone ANSWER, let alone REFUTE such arguments...

When you compare unbelievers' "anything goes" worldview to "Christian" severity about walking the "straight and narrow" OR ELSE... which do you think is more appealing?

When J.S. Christian who was taught to be "measured", "temperate" and "perfect" AT ALL TIMES sees J.J. Worldly all excited and gung-ho about HIS erroneous beliefs and decadent lifestyle, which do you think is more enticing?

That's where Holy Spirit inspired teaching comes in.

Pastors, DON'T deliver a stupid sermon, from a stupid religious manual, or from some "stupider" seminary taught formula that'll put the congregation to sleep and won't do anyone any good.

A message on "I am, I can, I will" won't equip anyone to handle life's challenges. A message on how God loves, forgives and receives those "aren't, can't and won't" WILL.

Unless the Church gives young people CLEAR ANSWERS TO LIFE'S QUESTIONS, THEY'LL SEEK THOSE ANSWERS FROM THE WORLD.

Unless the Church gives young people the spiritual ammunition they need to refute worldly claims, and STAND their ground...

Unless it gives them SOLID DOCTRINE (meat) instead of watered down powdered milk...

They'll keep leaving in droves.

If we don't give young adults and teens a FIRM FOUNDATION, something (actually, SOMEONE) SOLID to chew on, someone to get EXCITED AND PASSIONATE about, you can bet your bottom dollar THE WORLD WILL.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2011

DO YOU HAVE TO BE GOOD ?

Do you have to be good in order to be saved? This may shock some of you. The answer is NO.

Oh, I know religion says you do, but they're lying. That's NOT WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES.

First of all, with regards to people's characters, how do you define "good"? What you may consider "good", may not be "so good" to someone else.

Even if we could define "good", the next question is "HOW GOOD do you have to be"? How do you even know if you're "good enough"? YOU DON'T.

Fact is, no matter how "good" you try to be, you'll NEVER COME CLOSE to God's requirements, so QUIT TRYING.

Well, what's the answer, then?

If we can't measure up, are we all hopelessly doomed?

Hardly!

The Good News is Jesus WILL PROVIDE YOU HIS OWN GOODNESS, FOR FREE (2 Corinthians 5:21).

The ONLY human being who ever lived up to God's standard of GOODNESS, PERFECTION AND RIGHTEOUSNESS is Jesus Christ.

No one else has. No one else will, at least not in this life.

You never will. I never will.

The wonder of Salvation is that when you give your life to Him, and receive the Person of Jesus into your heart, as your Lord, HIS GOODNESS, HIS PERFECTION AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ARE ALL TRANSFERRED TO YOU.

God sees you, from that moment on, AS IF YOU'VE LIVED YOUR ENTIRE LIFE AS PERFECTLY, AS RIGHTEOUSLY, and AS "GOODLY" AS JESUS LIVED HIS.

GOD'S OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS IS TRANSMITTED TO YOU... FREELY.

You give Him your "badness", He gives you His Goodness.

You give Him your sin, He gives you His Righteousness.

You give Him your life, He'll give you His LIFE.

"Your life" is temporary. HIS LIFE IS ETERNAL. So, who gets the better deal? Doesn't get any better than THAT!

So, how about it?

NOBODY's ever made it to heaven because they were "good". They made it there because THEY GOT HIS GOODNESS.

Best bargain in world history: His Life in exchange for yours. His Goodness in exchange for your badness.

What are you waiting for? Go for it!!!

FRIDAY, AUGUST 12, 2011

AFRAID OF THE FUTURE

So many people are afraid of the future.

Each year, over 250 million tranquilizer prescriptions are written in the United States: All for fear of something that doesn't exist.

That's right, there's no such thing.

What we call "future" is a lie.

The only Truth is Present.

God is Truth. God is EVER Present.

That's why He NEVER changes.

The "future" is a lie. Time itself is a lie.

Both were invented by the father of lies, Satan.

Satan wanted CHANGE. Change is impossible in the Eternal Present.

he, therefore, invented the false notion of "time".

If he could subtract from THE ETERNAL PRESENT [ETERNITY], there would be a "future" in which he might affect change.

He said in his heart "I WILL ascend into heaven..., and I WILL exalt my throne above the stars of God: I WILL sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I WILL ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL be like the Most High [Isaiah 14:13,14].

He deceived himself, and those who fell for his lie, into believing you can change eternity. Fact is, you can't.

That's why, if you are in God [Jesus Christ], you need not fear the "future". What we call "future" is TOTALLY in His Most Capable Hands.

He is the Beginning and The End. That means our "future" is PREDETERMINED. That's another way of saying it's FIXED.

The Present is THE ONLY TRUTH.

The false notion of "time" is only experienced by beings living "under heaven", in a sinful, fallen environment, such as this [Ecclesiastes 3:1].

Satan is the "I WILL". God is the "I AM" [Exodus 3:14].

You'll never find Jesus in the "future". You'll only find Him in the Present.

And the Present is NOW.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 11, 2011

RIOTS IN LONDON

It's no longer just Libya and Syria; it's no longer just Arab nations... We have recently seen riots in Greece, Italy, Spain and now (hard to believe) IN LONDON, England.

While these four nations, unlike some of their Arab neighbors, are not necessarily trying to shake off some oppressive, dictatorial regime, riots are being fueled by ethnic tension combined with high unemployment, economic uncertainty, and general hopelessness.

What do these nations have in common with the participants in the so-called "Arab Spring"? They were ALL part of the former Roman Empire.

They are ALL part of the world that was known in Jesus' time.

Hence, THEY ARE THE VERY NATIONS that Jesus predicted would rise against themselves: nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom, as in Libyans against Libyans, Syrians against Syrians, Egyptians against Egyptians, Greeks against Greeks, British against British (Matthew 24:6-8).

There were no airplanes or transatlantic ocean liners in the first century A.D. Therefore, the "world" known back then consisted of those regions that could be reached by land or by relatively small vessels along the Mediterranean Sea. I'm aware that some are predicting similar riots here in the United States. Does that mean they COULDN'T happen here, since we were never part of the Roman Empire?

Not necessarily. We hope and pray they DON'T.

But EVERY SINGLE nation where they HAVE HAPPENED, or ARE HAPPENING, is part of the formerly Roman world.

The ACCURACY of Jesus' words is simply astounding.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the SHEER LACK OF LEADERSHIP prevalent across the globe.

The U.S. credit rating is downgraded for the FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, and NOBODY says anything, offers any reassurances, or seems to have any answers.

Politicians are quick to proffer a million theories on how we got into this mess, but NO CLEAR VISION on how to GET OUT. NO ONE in America, Europe or anywhere else, seems to have a way out of the quagmire, or proposes a viable plan to reduce persistently high unemployment, and put an end to the three year old global recession.

I've never been pessimist. I wish I could tell you things will get better between now and the time we have left.

I wish I could tell you the Rapture will take place next month during God's Feasts in the Hebrew calendar before things get much uglier.

But I cannot, in good conscience, say either one.

And this is one instance where I VERY MUCH WANT TO BE WRONG.

As I stated recently, I see us being here until SOMETIME during the first half (roughly, UNTIL SOMETIME in the first 6 months of) 2012.

I am being DELIBERATELY vague.

Jesus described the situation PERFECTLY in Luke 21:25 as "DISTRESS of nations with PERPLEXITY".

The Greek for "perplexity" is aporia, which literally means (being in) "a quandary, with no viable solution, no way out". So, there may eventually be some slight "improvement" on the economy, but it'll be short lived. It will continue to sputter.

That's not what any of us wants to hear, or read, but such things MUST HAPPEN.

That's not pessimism; it's biblical REALITY.

MONDAY, AUGUST 8, 2011

LOVE IS YOUR VICTORY

Since the Tower of Babel, human language has been fractured.

All human language is, at times, deficient.

This is particularly true in the English language where the word "love" is concerned.

To us, "love" can mean ANYTHING from natural affection for a close friend, family member or relative, to sexual desire for another person, to LIKING something or someone a lot as in "I LOVE chocolate", to sublime love for God.

In the game of tennis, "love" means NOTHING, ZERO.

However, there's a reason Jesus had His apostles write the New Testament in Greek.

Greek has three distinct words for what we call "love":

There's phileo for love toward friends and family.

There's eros for sexual desire.

And there's agape for Divine Love.

According to 1st John 4:16, God is neither phileo nor eros. He is AGAPE.

Divine Love is God's very Nature.

That Divine Nature was placed in our hearts when we experienced the New Birth of the spirit (2 Peter 1:4; Romans 5:5; John 3:5).

Therefore, WE HAVE God's Own Nature, His Divine Love INSIDE OF US, in our inner man, from the moment we're born again (Galatians 5:22).

That Divine Nature (AGAPE Love) is our victory in EVERY situation.

God is God because He IS Agape.

God is Agape because He IS God.

That's WHY God NEVER LOSES.

He has NEVER lost and He NEVER will.

Agape love is His Victory and He/it is also OUR victory.

Love won't be unequally yoked with anything lesser.

Love and only love will rapture us.

LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR (1 John 4:18).

LOVE CASTS OUT TORMENT.

LOVE TRUSTS (1 Corinthians 13:7).

LOVE TRIUMPHS & NEVER FAILS (1 Corinthians 13:8).

LOVE STAYS FOCUSED ON HIMSELF (on God, on Love).

LOVE IS YOUR HEALTH.

LOVE IS YOUR PROVISION.

LOVE IS YOUR SOLUTION.

LOVE IS YOUR SALVATION.

LOVE IS ETERNAL.

LOVE IS YOUR VICTORY.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7, 2011

NOT THIS YEAR

Apparently, the Rapture won't be happening this year, but in the first half of 2012.

We hear from so many, on a daily basis, asking "WHEN". This has intensified in recent days with the bad news about the economy and all the turmoil going on overseas.

So, I might as well tell you that all scriptural indicators point to AT LEAST another 6 months before it happens.

Needless to say, I'm not happy about this, since I wish it had ALREADY happened.

However, that's what I currently see in the Scriptures.

As I shared with you recently, THE CLOSER WE GET to "the time of the end", the greater our understanding of such events will be (Daniel 12:4, 9).

Revelation comes WHEN IT COMES. I know A LOT MORE today than I did three months ago. I expect I'll KNOW EVEN MORE between now and the beginning of 2012.

Perhaps the Holy Spirit will allow me to share the FINER details as we get much closer to the time. However, I can share SOME details that'll shed SOME light on where we are prophetically.

We know, as per Daniel 9:25, that the Second Coming takes place in the fall of 2017.

We know the Antichrist reigns for 3½ years PRIOR. That takes us to mid-April 2014 (the final half week in Daniel's 70 weeks) for the beginning of his reign.

We know that Antichrist must reappear and do certain things BEFORE he begins to reign.

He doesn't just emerge from the pit (Revelation 17:8) and start reigning.

He must reintroduce himself, prove his identity, gain popular support (Revelation 13:3,4), form a political coalition, put together an army and fight at least four wars against Egypt, Turkey, Iran and Israel, probably in that order (Daniel 8:17,19-26; 11:40-44).

All of that TAKES TIME.

So, I'm guessing, based on the above, that his reappearance will take place sometime in 2013.

And we know that PRIOR TO HIS EMERGENCE FROM THE PIT the 6 trumpet judgments mentioned in Revelation chapters 8 & 9 must happen.

We also know, as per Revelation 7:9 that the Church is raptured JUST PRIOR TO those 6 trumpet judgments. Just ONE of those judgments, trumpet 5, lasts 5 months (Revelation 9:1-10).

Therefore, it looks like we're leaving in the FIRST half of 2012.

That would allow anywhere between 10-20 months for ALL OF THE ABOVE to happen, and 10-24 months to build the third temple which MUST be finished by the time Antichrist begins his reign of terror, in order to fulfill Jesus' prophecy concerning the "abomination of desolation" (Matthew 24:15).

This, by the way, has NOTHING to do with the Mayan calendar which predicts "the end of the world" on December 21, 2012, which would be the SECOND half of 2012.

The world won't "end" and be replaced with a new heaven and a new earth until at least the year 3024. That's 1,013 years from now.

But we still have 5 months left in 2011. Don't you think it can still happen THIS year?

...Technically, yes, scripturally, no.

Technically, God can do anything He wants whenever He wants and still make it fit the Scriptures.

But I doubt it. If He did that, then the Scriptures would be misleading, and studying them would be pretty useless.

His Word tells us we have a "MORE SURE Word of prophecy" (2 Peter 1:19) and that God magnifies His Word even above His Name (Psalm 138:2).

So, I fully expect the Scriptures to pan out perfectly on this, as they have in over 2,000 prophecies fulfilled in painstaking detail to date.

Hate to say it, I see NOTHING in the Scriptures which points to a 2011 Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur or Sukkot rapture. I could make a stronger case for Hanukkah, but I don't really see it happening there either.

I do see A LOT that points to the first half of 2012.

So, it looks like we got AT LEAST 6 more months to go.

If God, for some reason, made this one event the exception, and it happened THIS YEAR, I'd be both WRONG and EXTREMELY surprised.

I'd also be the happiest person in the universe.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2011

HOW LONG IS THE TRIBULATION ?

The Millennium, as I shared with you recently, is preceded by a 7-year period.

That 7-year period, as I also shared recently, began in December, 2010 and will end in December 2017.

It began with the "birthpangs" described by Jesus in detail in Matthew 24:4-8.

The birthpangs precede both the Rapture and the tribulation (Revelation 12:1-5).

The whole world, particularly the Middle East, is experiencing those birthpangs, RIGHT NOW, as we speak.

Consequently, the tribulation DOES NOT last 7 years as pretribbers, myself included, previously thought.

The tribulation, according to Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12 BEGINS with the sun turning black, the moon appearing red as blood, a large meteor shower and a huge temblor of land, sea, and atmosphere.

Since the birthpangs HAVE BEGUN and we haven't seen those signs, then clearly the birthpangs ARE NOT PART OF the tribulation. Rather, they PRECEDE the tribulation.

As the tribulation begins with the aforementioned signs, the Church is raptured (Revelation 7:9) PRIOR TO the tribulation JUDGMENTS which begin with the trumpets mentioned in Revelation 8:1-6.

How long, then, does the tribulation last?

Clearly, it depends on HOW LONG THE BIRTHPANGS LAST.

I'm not aware of any Scripture that specifies their duration.

If we go by the HUMAN gestation period, they would last about 9 months, but that's a HUGE "if".

The Scriptures seem to indicate that they will last LONGER THAN 9 months.

It appears, then, that the birthpangs would end, the tribulation SIGNS would begin, and the Rapture would take place, sometime between the present and mid-2012.

I will further explain in the next message.

FRIDAY, AUGUST 5, 2011

NO CONDITIONS

There are NO CONDITIONS for receiving Christ.

Again: there are NO CONDITIONS for receiving Christ.

I mean ZERO, ZIP.

Sinful men may have invented conditions.

Religion may have invented conditions.

But there are NONE.

EVERYONE who comes to Jesus comes to Him AS THEY ARE.

You don't have to CHANGE anything.

You don't have to ABANDON anything.

You don't have to "reform" anything.

You don't have to STOP doing anything.

You don't have to "cleanse" yourself of anything.

It's Jesus who'll do the changing.

It's Jesus who'll remove stuff from your life.

It's Jesus who'll bring reform.

It's Jesus who'll help you STOP whatever needs stopping.

It's Jesus WHO'LL CLEANSE YOU.

And NOBODY, including yourself, can clean you up as well as Him.

Jesus will receive you JUST LIKE YOU ARE, RIGHT NOW.

Don't fall for the religious lie that you have to do this, or do that, stop this or stop that, BEFORE coming to Christ.

That's a hellish lie if there ever was one.

There are NO OBSTACLES between Jesus and you.

Jesus loves you - yes, YOU! - AS YOU ARE.

He accepts you - yes, YOU! -- AS YOU ARE.

You don't have to pretend, put on airs, or try to "deserve" His love.

NONE OF US DESERVE IT.

BUT HE LOVES US ANYWAY.

So, what's keeping YOU from having ALL your sins forgiven?

What's keeping you from being cleansed?

What's keeping YOU from getting a new lease on life?

What's keeping YOU from receiving Jesus?

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2012

CHRISTIAN STEREOTYPES

Some Christians were offended, couple of decades ago, when Saturday Night Live came up with the "Church lady" character, portrayed by a wigged, frumpy dressed, stern looking, orthopedic stocking and eyeglass wearing, Dana Carvey.

Regardless of SNL's mischievous motives, they did organized Christianism a BIG favor by showing them HOW a lost world perceives most Christians.

There's no worse religious caricature than a "staunch" Baptist... or a flamboyant Pentecostal.

Before Baptists and Pentecostals descend on me like a proverbial plague of biblical locusts, please KNOW that I came to INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE OF Jesus thru three wonderful Baptism ministers (Oliver Greene, Theodore Epp and Billy Graham), and that I'm also SPIRIT FILLED.

Yes, Martel prays and speaks in tongues... IN PRIVATE, NOT IN PUBLIC...

I love Baptists, I love Pentecostals. I love ALL Christians, I love pretend Christians, and I love non-Christians.

However, one thing that religion does to all of us is we tend to take ourselves too seriously.

It's healthy, once in a while, to kick back and take a self-deprecating look at ourselves.

Not only will we laugh a little, or A LOT, which is good for us, but we may also learn something in the process.

I don't know about you, but at some point my human mind gets overloaded with prayer requests, reading and listening to other people's problems, answering their questions, worldly responsibilities, and even with Bible study.

Much as I love the written Word, much as I love prophecy, there comes a point where I have to shove aside all the horns, and weeks, timelines, antichrists, abominations of desolation, false prophets, seals, horses, trumpets, woes, and vials... and take a break.

...A non-religious, non-scriptural BREAK.

I praise God for giving us humans a sense of humor. I suspect He has one, too, or He wouldn't have created us.

Without it, I would have TOTALLY "LOST IT" ages ago.

But my main point is this:

Christians are not supposed to impress others with the way we LOOK (good, bad, extreme or in-between) but with WHO HE IS.

And WHO HE IS should be reflected in us.

He IS Love, and His unconditional, special agape Love should manifest in us.

Love didn't come to this world in physical form, as Jesus, in order to find fault or CONDEMN, but TO SAVE (John 3:17).

LOOKING like the Church lady doesn't make ANYONE more spiritual. It doesn't make ANYONE a "better Christian". It doesn't even make ANYONE Christian.

Neither does LOOKING like drag queen.

Neither does having tons of plastic surgery.

Unfortunately, these are some of the images that RELIGIOUS television has perpetuated in our minds.

LOOKS have NOTHING to do with WHO LIVES IN US.

Repeat: LOOKS have NOTHING to do with WHO LIVES IN US.

Adam looked like Jesus BEFORE he sinned.

Adam STILL LOOKED LIKE Jesus AFTER he sinned...

But he was LOST.

So, brothers and sisters, let's take Jesus seriously, let's take His Will for our lives seriously, let's take His Word seriously, but let's NOT take ourselves too seriously.

It's Jesus' own Self IN US that must be taken seriously.

It's NOT our SELF that we must take seriously but His Self.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2011

OVERCOMING THE WORLD

"In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I HAVE OVERCOME the world" (John 16:33).

The BODY OF Christ MUST awaken to the REALITY OF the INNER Christ.

Repeat: The BODY of Christ MUST awaken to the REALITY OF the INNER Christ.

Jesus Christ LIVES in us AS MUCH AS He lived in the physical body He used to walk around the earth.

AS MUCH AS He lived in that body which hung on the cross for our sins, and shed its supremely holy and priceless Blood.

AS MUCH AS He lives in that glorified body that ROSE from the dead, and ASCENDED TO heaven. Selah.

Yet YOU'D NEVER KNOW IT from watching THE MEMBERS OF His Body.

Christians have managed to HIDE JESUS.

They've hidden Him SO WELL and SO DEEP that He's INVISIBLE.

Worse, He's virtually UNDETECTABLE.

It's bad enough WE don't SEE HIM in us.

What's even worse is that THE WORLD doesn't see Him either.

And it DESPERATELY NEEDS TO!

We make our SELVES visible. But we make Him INVISIBLE.

We manifest our SELVES, but we STIFLE Him.

What great tragedy!

By HIDING HIM (Love), we allow Satan and the world to overcome.

You'll NEVER overcome this world and its corrupt systems in your self.

You'll NEVER overcome it IN THE FLESH.

The ONLY HOPE we have of overcoming is JESUS IN US.

The ONLY HOPE we have of overcoming is OUR INNER JESUS.

Are you stifling Jesus?

Cut Him loose!

LET Him COME FORTH.

LET Him face and handle AND OVERCOME EVERY worldly circumstance you face.

He ALREADY overcame Satan and every evil spirit on your behalf.

My God, He already OVERCAME DEATH ITSELF. WHAT could be WORSE THAN THAT?

LET Him APPEAR. It's YOU who MUST DISAPPEAR.

It's YOU who MUST become "invisible".

Please understand that I'm preaching TO MYSELF as well as to you.

We've ALL failed at MANIFESTING THE INWARD Jesus. BUT WE MUST.

Those of you who write me every day and week whining and clamoring about the Rapture, and how much longer we'll have to wait, and how much you want to be with the Lord and leave this corrupt earth realm... please listen:

The unleashing of Jesus IN US will be THE RAPTURE OF US.

We've held Jesus in the "tomb" FAR TOO LONG.

If He is risen indeed, then LET HIM rise IN YOU.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2011

FULLNESS & TIMES

For all the self-proclaimed prophecy pundits, and all the crappy books, CD's, DVD's, interviews and TV shows they've produced, there's ENORMOUS confusion about "the TIMES of the gentiles" mentioned in Luke 21:24 and "the FULLNESS of the gentiles" mentioned in Romans 11:25.

Some "experts" would have us believe they're the same thing.Do the words "times" and "fullness" mean the same thing? Obviously NOT.

Then there's NO WAY IN HELL, or on earth, that they can be the same thing.

Jesus said Jerusalem would be trodden down by Gentiles UNTIL the TIMES of the Gentiles were fulfilled.

Since biblical Jerusalem has been recovered by Jews and Gentiles are NO LONGER TRAMPLING it, that is clear indication that their "times" have been fulfilled.

The TIMES of the gentiles clearly refers, therefore, to all the times the gentiles would have dominion over Jerusalem. Since Jesus uttered those words, Gentiles had UNINTERRUPTED dominion over the holy city, for 1,934 years. The TIMES of the gentiles abruptly came to an END on June 7, 1967 when Jews recaptured biblical Jerusalem, in fulfillment of Jesus' amazing prophecy.

Jerusalem has been in Jewish hands, praise Jesus forever, ever since.

Paul said that blindness had come, in part, to Israel UNTIL the FULLNESS of the gentiles had come into the Kingdom of God, then ALL ISRAEL WOULD BE SAVED.

Don't see any mention of Jerusalem there, do you?

The FULLNESS of gentiles, therefore, refers to the FULL NUMBER of gentiles coming to Salvation, after which ALL Israel (not just Jews but ALL 12 TRIBES) will be saved.

We know the TIMES ended in 1967, what about the FULLNESS?

In Revelation 14:6 God sends a special angel thru heaven, at mid-tribulation, preaching the ETERNAL GOSPEL to every nation on earth. Evidently, many will heed the angel's message and turn to Jesus.

According to Revelation 14:6, 15:2 and 20:4, during the reign of Antichrist there will be MANY gentiles who will come to faith in Jesus and reject the mark of the beast.

Many will be murdered for their faith. Those who survive will have a special rapture just prior to the 7 vial judgments in Revelation chapter 16.

When that happens, early in the year 2017, the FULLNESS of gentiles will have come into the Kingdom, and shortly after ALL ISRAEL will be saved and resettled into the land God gave them as eternal inheritance.

The "times" of the gentiles have come to an end. The FULLNESS of the gentiles coming into the Kingdom of God is still in our future.

They're two ENTIRELY DIFFERENT EVENTS taking place at two ENTIRELY DIFFERENT TIMES.